News Stories

Following up on its huge success of the last 5 years, the Montclair Bikery’s 5th Annual Turkey Ride to collect turkeys for the Human Needs Food Pantry took place on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017. Cyclists met at the Montclair Bikery at 145 Valley Road at 9:00 a.m. and rode 15-mile circuitous route to the Brookdale …Read More…

Montclair Community Farms (MCF) is a coalition of HOMECorp, Montclair Department of Health and Human Services, Montclair History Center, Montclair State University, and Rutgers Cooperative Extension: Essex County 4-H and Master Gardeners. Community volunteers and Youth farmers tend their two farm sites along with a farm coordinator and farm director. MCF plants, grows, harvests and …Watch Video…

Partners for Health Foundation has launched the 4th Annual Holiday Matching Grants campaign to benefit local soup kitchens, food pantries and organizations working to address and prevent hunger and homelessness. Up to $300,000 in matching funds will be awarded for donations of $50 or more that are made by December 31, 2017. “Since 2014, this …Read More…

Celebrate the Season featuring paintings by 20 student artists will be exhibited in the Upper Lobby of the Vance Wall Art Education Center at the Montclair Art Museum through January 7, 2018. The artists are local residents who participated in a watercolor and gouache class offered by the Montclair Institute for Lifelong Learning (MILL) through …Read More…

Up to $100,000 will be distributed among 10 award winners in 2018 Partners for Health Foundation will celebrate our 10-Year Anniversary by recognizing people and organizations who are making extraordinary contributions to health and well-being in the 15 communities we serves. The Foundation is seeking nominations for Community Impact Awards that will select …Read More…

The Partners for Health Foundation Nursing Scholarship Fund has been established at Bloomfield College to support junior and senior nursing students. A total of $150,000 will be dispersed over five years beginning in the fall of 2017 to students who have demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to successfully completing their education. “In choosing to …Read More…

More than 250 underserved adults and children in the Partners for Health Foundation service area received affordable, high quality dental care on the Zufall Delta Dental Mobile Van in its first year of service. At the ribbon cutting ceremony to launch the dental van in August 2016, Eva Turbina, Zufall’s president and chief executive officer …Read More…

The Peace Model Project, a school-based mental health & wellness initiative, is a collaborative venture between The Bridge, Inc. and the Caldwell-West Caldwell School district. It is designed to fully integrate community mental health services in the district’s four elementary schools. The vision for the project was inspired in response to increased school violence across …Read More…

Let’s Walk is a free walking program of guided and themed walks for those who are interested in developing a healthier lifestyle. The program offers walks at various locations throughout the week and is coordinated by the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition. Regular walking has been identified by health experts and the US Surgeon …Read More…

Fourth Ward Councilwoman Renee Baskerville and the Township of Montclair are partnering with Hackensack Meridian Health Mountainside Medical Center, Partners for Health and City Green, to once again welcome the City Green Veggie Mobile – a mobile farm stand that brings fresh produce and other healthful foods to Montclair’s South End district. The Veggie Mobile will be …Read More…

Peter Coyl, Director of the Montclair Public Library, and Anne Mernin, Director of Toni’s Kitchen, talked to Steve Adubato on the Caucus: NJ program about the summer lunch program sponsored by Partners for Health. Watch the video below to see how this partnership is offering free and healthy lunches in addition to reading and …Watch Video…

As New Jersey continues to struggle with a poor economy marked by high rates of unemployment, foreclosures, and an increasing cost of living, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) remains a crucial lifeline for low-income families. By lifting families out of poverty and giving a boost to local economies, the EITC is a vital tax …Read More…

ASPIRE (Achieving Sobriety by Promoting an Insightful Recovery Experience) is a pilot program developed by the YMCA of Montclair and the National Youth Recovery Foundation (NYRF), and funded in part by Partners for Health Foundation. It is designed for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 and have 90 days or more of recovery from addiction to drugs or alcohol. ASPIRE …Learn more…

As suburban poverty has risen, more and more local residents have struggled to put food on the table. Soup kitchens and food pantries report sharp increases in demand for their services, while their usual sources of support cannot keep up with increased demand for food. Partners for Health Foundation launched its fresh produce grants program …Read More…

SIT is a pilot program which offers senior residents of Montclair reduced cost taxi vouchers for local travel. SIT is not a taxi service – residents can use SIT vouchers to pay for taxi services with participating companies. SIT Vouchers can be used outside of Montclair. Great savings – pay $15 for …Read More…

New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition opened a bike depot on March 24th at Bloomfield’s Glenwood Avenue Parking Garage, steps away from the NJ Transit train station. The organization’s first bike depot opened two years ago at Montclair’s Bay Street Station. The Montclair depot can accommodate up to 24 bicycles and is near capacity! A …Read More…

As New Jersey continues to struggle with its poor economy, marked by high rates of unemployment, foreclosures, and an increasing cost of living, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) remains a crucial lifeline for low-income families. By lifting families out of poverty and giving a boost to local economies, the EITC is a vital tax …Read More…

More than 400 community members opened their hearts and wallets during the 2016 holiday season, donating $231,670 to the Matching Grants Program sponsored by Partners for Health Foundation. With the Foundation’s $1 to $1 match, grants totaling $463,340 were made to seven local soup kitchens, food pantries and agencies that provide services to the homeless …Read More…

The Trustees of the Partners for Health Foundation Board of Trustees have elected Fred Guterl and Lynne Katzmann, both of Montclair, to the Board. Board Chair Kevin Rendino noted, “We welcome these talented individuals and are confident their expertise will enhance our work.” Fred Guterl is executive editor of Scientific American and author of The …Read More…

‘ASPIRE’ aims to help young adults maintain long-term sobriety The YMCA of Montclair, in partnership with the National Youth Recovery Foundation (NYRF) and Partners for Health Foundation in Montclair, will launch three 12-week programs geared to adults between the ages of 18 and 30 in long-term recovery. ASPIRE (Achieving Sobriety by Promoting an Insightful Recovery …Read More…

Five grantee communities—Bloomfield, Clifton, Montclair, Nutley and West Orange—are now part of the New Jersey Healthy Communities Network. The network has 43 grantee communities across the state supported by four funders in addition to Partners for Health. The Steering Committee believes communities learn best from their peers though face-to-face regional and statewide meetings, and that personalized …Read More…

Ribbons were cut and doors opened on October 25th at KinderSmile Community Oral Health Center (KSCOHC), 10 Broad Street, Bloomfield. Suburban Essex Chamber of Commerce members, business leaders, dental and health care professionals as well as KinderSmile Foundation trustees, friends, and staff joyously celebrated the realization of a longtime goal–a Dental Home for underserved …Read More…

1 IN 5 CHILDREN IN NJ IS FOOD INSECURE: Make a Difference and DOUBLE Your Impact through Partners for Health Foundation’s Matching Grants Program Partners for Health Foundation is launching the Third Annual Holiday Matching Grants program to benefit local soup kitchens, food pantries and organizations working to address the persistent issues of hunger and …Read More…

On Wednesday, November 2nd, 2 p.m. NJ Spotlight hosted a webinar on Oral Health in New Jersey: How to Build Stronger Teeth, Healthier Lives. A growing body of research illustrates that dental care is critical not just to preserve a pretty smile; oral health is essential to good nutrition. Deteriorating teeth and gums can contribute …Read More…

By Liz Brady I have been facilitating walks with the Let’s Walk Group in North Jersey for the past several years. I have met so many wonderful people, some who have continued to walk with me while others have continued to walk on their own or with new friends they met while walking with the …Read More…

Save the date! Montclair Public Library & Foundation’s Summer Reading Celebration will be at Edgemont Park on Saturday, August 20 from 9am to 5pm. Kids, teens, and adults are invited to this day of programs, activities and good old fashioned fun. The event will feature yoga, mini-Adult School of Montclair programs focused on health, fitness, and …Read More…

By Stephanie Grove, RSVP Director of Essex and Hudson Counties Civic engagement refers to the ways in which citizens participate in the life of a community in order to improve conditions for others or to help shape the community’s future. We often hear this term used in the context of motivating younger people to …Read More…

The cost of living in New Jersey is one of the highest in the nation while incomes have become stagnant; therefore people struggling to make ends meet are open to considering creative options such as sharing their homes. HomeSharing, Inc. began 31 years ago with the mission of creating these affordable housing solutions by …read more…

By Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless, Inc. (MESH) MESH’s “Home for the Holidays” program, funded in part by Partners for Health Foundation, sponsors housing for college students who experience homelessness when schools close during the winter and summer breaks. Over this past winter break the program covered the cost of housing and meals for …read more…

As New Jersey continues to struggle with a poor economy marked by high rates of unemployment, foreclosures, and an increasing cost of living, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) remains a crucial lifeline for low-income families. By lifting families out of poverty and giving a boost to local economies, the EITC is a vital tax …read more…

By Montclair Community Farm Coalition Thanks to Professional Woodworkers Guild of Upper New Jersey, the Montclair Community Farm Coalition now has a mobile farm stand to take local produce from its farm sites to area seniors. The Coalition operates two primary microfarm sites – one behind the HOMECorp building on Miller Street and one at …read more…

By Katie York, PhD, MBA Project Director, Lifelong Montclair After attending a conference on age-friendly communities, I realized how far Lifelong Montclair has come but how far we still have to go. Lifelong Montclair, a Partners for Health initiative in collaboration with the Township of Montclair, started two years ago under the moniker Aging in …read more…

The Independent College Fund of New Jersey (ICFNJ) has posted a new scholarship funded by Partners for Health. Junior and senior nursing students attending Bloomfield College and Caldwell University can apply for this competitive scholarship through ICFNJ at http://www.njcolleges.org/icfnj-student-scholarship-information#Partners_for_Health. Five successful candidates will receive a $5,000 award toward the cost of attendance in 2016-17. …read more…

The subjects that teens explore when creating films provided a platform for a wonderful panel discussion about the concerns of local youth and how our community can provide a safety net to support them. The event was held on Wednesday, May 4 and was presented by Partners for Health as part of the Montclair Film …read more…

The Township of Montclair celebrated Older American’s Month with an open house and ribbon cutting to officially kick-off senior programs and activities at Edgemont Park House. The event was held on Tuesday, May 3. Edgemont Park House has seen significant upgrades, new equipment and additional staff in anticipation of its opening as a space for …read more…

By Matthew LaZaro In early March, my Package Design class at Montclair State University was given an assignment to design a label for a bag of popcorn, a healthy snack that would be distributed to major sponsors of the 2016 Montclair Film Festival. The “client” was Partners for Health Foundation, which is co-presenting a panel …read more…

Community members opened their hearts and their wallets to help raise more than $400,000 donated through the Partners for Health Foundation’s Holiday Matching Grants program to seven local soup kitchens, food pantries and agencies that provide services to the homeless. Contributions of $202,700 from 438 individuals and families were matched dollar for dollar by Partners …read more…

Joy Kay, Executive Director, Montclair Shared Housing Association The residents at The Montclair Inn are always filled with pride when they talk about life at the Inn. Since 1990 it has been a residence for independent seniors who enjoy the camaraderie of the small community and the warmth and beauty of the house. One of …read more…

Caldwell University will expand the services it provides through its Counseling HelpLine, made possible through a grant from Partners for Health. Graduate students provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Dr. Thomson Ling, professor of psychology and supervisor of the graduate students, says they are very pleased that Partners …read more…

Want to improve your community? Enlist the help of third graders inspired by speakers from community organizations including A Lot to Grow community gardens, the United Way of Northern NJ, Bike & Walk Montclair, and PAWS. Dana Rose, Meghan Schorr and Maurine Toth, third grade teachers at Montclair Kimberley Academy, implemented an innovative Social Studies …read more…

Parishioners of the Central Presbyterian Church in Montclair recently organized a healthy food drive for the Human Needs Food Pantry. According to John Helm, Mission Chairman of the church, “We collected more than 2,000 pounds of food – literally a ton – making a ton of difference. For the past ten years, we’ve had a …read more…

Neighbor to Neighbor Network has been working with Boy Scout Troop 22 out of Bloomfield, chartered by Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, to collect healthy food for the Bethel Rehoboth Food Pantry & Meal Center in Bloomfield. Through mid-April 2014, they had collected nearly 40 bags of food using the Fight Hunger the Healthy Way …read more…

MKA juniors Joe Amato and Ben Rapsas have teamed up with Partners for Health to fight hunger. The young men enlisted more than a dozen peers to join them in a Food Run held on Sunday, April 6, 2014. Each runner/walker raised funds and traversed a 5K route outlined by an MKA Cross Country coach. …read more…

By Jennifer Hanawald Local children are learning about suburban hunger and taking action to raise donations for emergency food programs. Leaders of Girl Scout Troop 20528 in Montclair said the goals of the Campaign to Fight Hunger the Healthy Way — to help community members of all ages to eat well — resonated deeply. The …read more…

By Jennifer Hanawald The Pre-K through second graders of School 2 in Little Falls are doing an amazing job collecting healthy foods for two food pantries: St. Agnes Church and First Reformed Church, both in Little Falls. Our school’s Media Advisor, Ms. Roth, has been reading to our students from the list of children’s book …read more…

By Jennifer Hanawald Partners for Health has kicked off a year-long campaign to raise awareness about suburban hunger and inspire action that will help nourish our neighbors who struggle to afford healthy food. The grant-making foundation developed the Fight Hunger the Healthy Way campaign to put an emphasis on donations of healthy foods to emergency …read more…

By Jennifer Hanawald What would you do if you had to choose between paying the bills and putting a decent meal on the table? With poverty rising twice as fast in the suburbs than in cities, that’s become the reality for an increasing number of our neighbors, right here in Montclair. Partners for Health, a …read more…